Auto windscreen-wiper blades

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns an auto windscreen wiper blade incorporating an articualted coupling gear consisting of a hollow component made of relatively stiff plastic designed to interlock with a second component made of relatively flexible plastic both being articulated around a common pivot secured to the wiper blade frame.

United States Patent [191 Baut et al. Mar. 18, 1975 [54] AUTO WINDSCREEN-WIPER BLADES 3,725,970 4/1973 Allaria l5/25().32

[76] Inventors: Jacques Baut, 213 boulevard du Sow/6min 1160 Brussels, Belgium; FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Paul Journee, Chateau de, Reilly, 60 903,298 8/1962 Great Britain I5/Z5().32 Reilly (par Chaumont-en-VexinL F mnce Primary Examiner-Peter Feldman I Flled! 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bacon & Thomas [21] Appl. No.: 343,158

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT Oct. 31, I972 France 72.38531 The invention Concerns an auto windscreen wiper blade incorporating an articualted coupling gear con- 7 Sisting of a hollow Component made of relatively stiff [58] Fi .ld 220 36 plastic designed to interlock with a second component e a c made of relatively flexible plastic both being articulated around a common pivot secured to the wiper [56] References Cited blade m UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Claims, 24 Drawing Figures -l62l 507 11/197] Allaria et ul. I5/250.32

may/M1454 AUTO WINDSCREEN-WIPER BLADES The present invention concerns automobile windscreen wiper blades and, more specifically, the articulated gear connecting the wiper blade support frame to the swing-arm, the latter being traditional in form and mode of operation.

Many designs of devices consisting of one or several metal and/or plastic components have already been put forward. Among the all-metal devices, a design was introduced many years ago which consisted in a coupling mechanism composed of a hollow piece coupled by a pivot to the middle of the main bridge of the support frame and a spring plate fixed at one end and at the other end free to bend back during the retraction of the swing-arm.

Another device, also proposed many years ago, consists in fabricating the support frame proper in some elastic material consolidated to the metal spring-plate in virtually the same way as in the first design.

Finally, it was advocated that the mechanism connecting the articulated blade-supporting frame to the swing-arm be realised in a single tie-piece made of a relatively flexible plastic material and designed to be clicked onto free extremity of the swing-arm by a sys tem of elastic (and therefore temporary) distension of the marginal surface or brim of the socket.

The present invention is based on a brand new concept according to which the main coupling piece and the spring-plate are made of two totally different plastic materials, the first being relatively hard and stress resistant while the other is fairly supple and elastic.

These two components of the coupling mechanism are fixed by the same rivet (pivot of the gear) to the middle of the wiper blade support frame.

The concept is peculiar and innovative in that the curled U-shaped hand of the swing-arm is locked safely into the coupling gear by the action of the elastic component which incorporates a backstop forbidding untimely disconnection of the gear.

It should be noted that, despite the relative complexity of the device, this design is particularly suitable for industrial production because of the simplicity and economy of the manufacturing process. Indeed, both component parts can be made by moulding or injection and assembled by straightforward rivetting.

As an example of the kind of materials which can be used for the'manufacture of the coupling gear, we suggest a form of reinforced polyamide plastic for the hard component and a form of acetal resin plastic for the relatively elastic component.

This technical innovation in the field of articulated coupling gear for windscreen wipers can naturally be translated into a variety of specific designs without departing from the scope of the present invention.

We therefore give the following detailed description of two possible models strictly for the sake of illustration. The specification is to be read with references to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a longitudinal section of the invented coupling gear;

FIG. 2 represents a horizontal section along line ll-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a cross-section taken at level Ill-III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a lateral view of the rigid component of the coupling gear;

FIG. 5 is the horizontal projection of this rigid component;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are sections taken respectively along lines Vl-VI and VII-VII of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a lateral view of the flexible component;

FIG. 9 is the horizontal projection of this component;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are sections of the flexible component taken along lines X-X and Xl-Xl, respectively, of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12, like FIG. 1, illustrates the coupling gear but during disconnection;

FIG. 13 is similar to FIG. 1 but represents an alternative design;

FIGS. 14 and 15 represent sections along lines XIV-XIV and XVXV, respectively, of the representation of FIG. 13;

FIG. 16 is a lateral view of the stiff component;

FIG. 17 is a horizontal projection of the same component;

FIGS. 18 and 19 represent sections taken respectively along lines XVIII-XVIII and XIX-XIX of FIG.

FIG. 20 is a side-view of the flexible component;

FIG. 21 is a horizontal projection of this component;

FIGS. 22 and 23 are sections taken along lines XXII- XXII and XXIII-XXIII, respectively, of FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 is similar to FIG. 13 but shows the device in its position during disconnection.

In both models, 1 is the articulated coupling gear as described herein; 2 the central segment of the main bridge of the wiper blade support frame; 3 the pivot or axis around which the coupling gear is articulated and by which it is fixed to the support frame; 4 the swingarm having a generally U-shaped end; S the component made of a relatively stiff plastic material; 6 the component made of a relatively elastic plastic material.

In the design of FIGS. 1 to 12, the stiff component consists of a hollow casing 7 having a near U or C- shaped vertical longitudinal channel-shaped section which expands into a central lobe 8, flanked on either side by two shoulders 9 and 10. The lobe 8 is pierced by a hole 11 into which fits the pivot 3. Atransverse groove 12 is cut into and below this lobe. The flexible component 6, made of an elastic plastic material consists of a rod 13 having an abutment nose 14 near its foreend which acts as backstop to the curved end of the swing-arm by engaging the end surface of the reversely bent short leg of arm 4 and, towards its rear end, two small parallel cheeks 15 and 16 separated by slightly more than the thickness of the lobe 8. Both cheeks are pierced by coaxial holes 17 and 18.

At the junction between the rod 13 and the cheeks 15-16, there is a built-in crossbar 19 designed to fit into the groove 12 of the male component 5.

On either side of the junction between the rod 13 and the two cheeks 15-16, there are two triangular prismatic stop-pins 20-21.

Parts 5 and 6 are thus destined to fit into each other in such a way that pivot 3 passes through coaxial holes l1, l7 and 18, cross-bar 19 fits into groove 12 and prismatic stop-pins 20, 21 abut against the adjacent surface of the hollow casing 7 of the hard plastic component 5. In this position, the distance between the backstop 14 and the rear surface of the hollow casing 7 is equal to or slightly greater than the length of the hand (curved end) of the swing-arm 4. When the hand is introduced into this coupling device so as to touch the bottom of the coupling device, the free extremity of the swingarm is locked by backstop l4 and can only be removed by acting on flexible component 6 to disengage backstop 14. This device makes untimely disconnection virtually impossible short of breaking one of the components.

In the alternative design illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 24, the elements 1 to 7 of the above description are reproduced. The difference lies exclusively in the shape of the interlocking components and 6. There is an inversion of sexes; component 5 (of hard plastic) having two cheeks 22 and 23 pierced by two coaxial holes 24-25 become the female component while component 6 now having a single central lobe 26 designed to fit between the checks of component 5 and pierced by a hole 37, becomes the male component. The rod 13 is equipped with a similar backstop nose 14 but has an incline 28 in the angle formed by the rod 14 and the lobe 26.

Thus equipped, the two complementary components 5 and 6 can interlock in such a way as to bring the three holes 24, 25 and 27 into coaxial alignment with each other, allowing the introduction of pivot 3 which is riveted to the frame 2.

Apart from these differences, the two components 5 and 6 are similar in every way to those of the first model.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that the flexible member 6 interengages and interlocks with the rear end of member 5 so that member 6 is not rotatable relative to member 5 about the pivot pin 3. Thus, one end ofthe member 6 is essentially rigid with member 5 whereas its other end is free to flex toward and away from the back wall of member 5.

It goes without saying that the shape and specifications of the components of this coupling device will be a function of the shape and dimensions of the swingarm hand.

It also is understood that, although we have advocated the use of a relatively stiff plastic material for the What we claim is: l. A device for removably connecting a wiper blade to the arm of a windshield wiper wherein the free end of said arm defines a U-shaped end portion having a relatively short reversely bent leg provided with an end surface, said connecting device comprising:

means pivoted to said wiper blade and defining an open-ended socket means of a size to receive said U-shaped end portion;

that side of said socket engaging said reversely bent leg being resilient and provided with an abutment adjacent the open end of said socket engaging said end surface to releasably retain said arm in said socket; and

the other sides of said socket being relatively stiff and inflexible.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said other sides of said socket comprise a single generally channel shaped member and wherein said resilient side is a separate member extending freely along the open side of said channel and is fixedly and nonrotatably connected to said member at its end remote from said open end.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said channel shaped member and said resilient side have interlocking and overlapping portions at the ends thereof remote from said open end, and single fastening means extending through said overlapping portions.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said single fastening means comprises a pin member serving also to pivotally connect said wiper blade to said socket means.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said overlapping and interlocking portions comprise a pair of spaced parallel ears on one of said channel shaped member and said separate member and a single lug on the other, positioned between said ears, said fastening means extending through aligned openings in said ears and lugs.

6. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said channel shaped member is of substantially rigid plastic material and said resilient member is of a resiliently bendable plastic material. 

1. A device for removably connecting a wiper blade to the arm of a windshield wiper wherein the free end of said arm defines a Ushaped end portion having a relatively short reversely bent leg provided with an end surface, said connecting device comprising: means pivoted to said wiper blade and defining an open-ended socket means of a size to receive said U-shaped end portion; that side of said socket engaging said reversely bent leg being resilient and provided with an abutment adjacent the open end of said socket engaging said end surface to releasably retain said arm in said socket; and the other sides of said socket being relatively stiff and inflexible.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said other sides of said socket comprise a single generally channel shaped member and wherein said resilient side is a separate member extending freely along the open side of said channel and is fixedly and nonrotatably connected to said member at its end remote from said open end.
 3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said channel shaped member and said resilient side have interlocking and overlapping portions at the ends thereof remote from said open end, and single fastening means extending through said overlapping portions.
 4. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said single fastening means comprises a pin member serving also to pivotally connect said wiper blade to said socket means.
 5. A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said overlapping and interlocking portions comprise a pair of spaced parallel ears on one of said channel shaped member and said separate member and a single lug on the other, positioned between said ears, said fastening means extending through aligned openings in said ears and lugs.
 6. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said channel shaped member is of substantially rigid plastic material and said resilient member is of a resiliently bendable plastic material. 